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1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a telecommunications service control point (SCP), and specifically, to an SCP having digit collection logic. More specifically, to an SCP having a processing system and interface configured to instruct communications devices within a telecommunications network to collect digits for call processing and validation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a telecommunications network, an SCP provides service information to devices in the network using call processing applications within the SCP. Some examples of service information provided by the SCP include special service number routing information and calling card information. For instance, a switch receives a call requiring a special service to complete the call to a called destination. Recognizing the need for a service, the switch transmits a query message to the SCP. The SCP processes the query message and returns a response message containing service information for the call. These query and response messages are generally Signaling System #7 (SS7) Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP) protocol messages that are well known in the art.
In some cases, the collection of digits from a caller is required before the SCP can provide services for the call. For example, a toll free number may include an associated personal identification number (PIN). When a call is placed to the toll free number, the associated PIN number must be collected to process the call. Presently, the digit collection control logic for these types of services is decentralized within the telecommunications network. In some cases, the control logic is located in a switch, while in other cases the control logic is located in a telecommunication resource sometimes referred to as a service platform.
In one example of digit collection in a resource, a telecommunications switch may receive a pre-paid calling card call requiring the collection of the calling card number to process the call. The switch, recognizing the need for a resource, transmits a query message to the SCP. The SCP, recognizing the need for digit collection, processes the query message and generates a response message that routes the call to a resource. The resource processes the call by playing prompts, collecting digits from the caller, validating the collected digits and sending a transfer request message to the SCP. The SCP processes the transfer request message, disconnects the resource, and sends a response message to the switch that routes the call to the final destination.
In another example of digit collection, a switch receives a toll free call requiring the collection of a PIN to process the call. Recognizing the need for digit collection, the switch processes the call by collecting the digits from the caller. Depending on its programming the switch may either validate the collected digits internally or send a query message to the SCP for validation of the collected digits by the SCP.
Unfortunately, the addition of services requiring digit collection is a problem in the art of telecommunications because of the decentralized digit collection control logic. Where a service requiring digit collection is added, the SCP as well as all switches and resources with digit collection logic must be reprogrammed for the new service. Thus it is desirable in the art of telecommunications to centralize digit control logic in the SCP.
The present invention advances the art by providing an SCP configured to instruct communications devices within a network to collect digits from a caller. The SCP is further configured to validate and process the collected digits to generate call handling information for calls. Advantageously, the digit collection control logic is centralized within the SCP. In addition, the digit collection control logic is interfaced with other call processing applications allowing for the construction and homogeneous integration of entire services in an SCP.
The present SCP comprises a processing system and an interface coupled to the processing system. The processing system is configured to process a first message to generate a second message containing instructions for a communication device to collect digits from a caller. The processing system is further configured to process a third message with the collected digits to generate a fourth message with call handling information for a call. The interface is configured to receive the first message from the communication device, transmit the second message with the digit collection instructions for the communication device, receive the third message with the collected digits from the communication device, and transmit the fourth message with the call handling information for the communication device.